Is This Seat Taken?

Imagine renting a new action DVD to watch with the family and without warning a steamy love scene comes on, you start squirming in your seat, feeling the awkwardness of parental eyes watching the movie you had chosen. You think this is the worst movie ever, but is it really?

According to Sciencedaily when you sit down to watch a new flick, whether you enjoy the movie may depend on the person sitting next to you. The research indicated that the type of co-viewer and their interactions with the content also created unpleasant experiences. I remember going to watch a movie with my parents and every now and then I would look over to see if they were enjoying it, if I felt they were getting bored I suddenly started to get irritated with the long windedness of the movie. Afterwards I hadn’t really enjoyed the movie, even though watching it again (alone) a year later I thought it was great but, because of the negative experience I had during the movie with my parents, I labeled the movie as being boring and uncreative.

Similarly, if I had to watch a romantic comedy with my boyfriend, who I know hates those types of movies, the experience would most definitely not be very enjoyable, because I would constantly be aware of his discomfort and impatience.

So, the next time you decide on a movie keep in mind the person who will be sitting next to you, he/she might have an effect on how pleasurable your viewing experience will be.